A Marketing Percentage From Subsidy Cash? And Some Preakness.

Probably one of the funniest things I've noticed of late is the "Petition to Stop Tweeting Horses" that's live at Whitehouse.gov.

• We ask that Twitter be restricted to only humans and large, multinational corporations. And parody accounts. Some of those are hilarious. Tweeting horses minimize the contributions to the discourse on racing from actual humans. And corporations. And sometimes sports networks.
  

I'm pretty sure I know who wrote it, and I am also pretty sure I will not publicize that, because the man will get stormed by the IRS, or even worse, by the dude who runs the Orb account. Regardless, a hearty well-done to this person for giving us all a much needed chuckle.

In Canada, with slots, it was proposed that 5% of the purse share of slots go to marketing & bettor/fan development, back in 2009, with the Racing Development and Sustainability Plan. Some factions deemed this "too much", "crazy" and "a laughing stock". Well, Canterbury Park and racing in Minnesota in general, has their plan set up, and lo and behold:

•  Under the provisions of the agreement, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community will provide $75  million over 10 years to fund purses. An additional $6 million is being set aside for marketing initiatives designed to increase attendance and handle at Canterbury. 

 That 8% of the total purse cash being used for marketing.

Other businesses spend and spend to get people in the seats, or in their place of business. Casino's spend upwards of 20%. Bingo of all things spend close to 30%. Racing? Spending 5% is like pulling teeth. Good for Canterbury.

Not too many folks are willing to fade Orb this weekend, and rightfully so I guess. If there's something the past has taught us, it's that where the Derby is a crap shoot, form from the Derby holds over very well with the 14 day wheelback of the Preakness. It's usually a chalkfest.

Orb is susceptible to what all horses are: Bad trips, a cough, a bad ride, not liking a surface or fifty other things, but fading him at anywhere near an okay price is probably not an ROI positive situation. Add the fact that he galloped out well, and looked fit as a fiddle and happy as a clam with his work on Monday, it's hard not to believe he will perform like so many have. Even mega-Derby winner bombs like Mine That Bird, or Charismatic have.

I have not done the work yet, but this year a couple that may jump up are the steam Departing, and Itsmyluckyday. The latter I believe hated that surface and the soup (he was not keen at all on it, and he is a keen horse who likes to race), and I will probably take him on top of Departing and Oxbow as my "non-Orb" supers, trying to get paid. But it's not like I'm confident taking it.

Have a nice Thursday everyone.